Via Hanseatica tourism route:enhancing our heritage and advancing our regions

10th of June 2013, Sigulda

Sille TalvetProject Coordinator

Vidzeme Planning Region / Gravitas Consult LLC

• Transnational tourism route connecting Russia, Estonia and Latvia

• Rich in attractive locations and unique objects

Why Via Hanseatica?Why here? Why together?

• Via Hanseatica is the name attributed to the trans-European transport corridor from Lübeck to St. Petersburg

• Via Hanseatica in the Baltic States and Leningrad region passes mainly remote regions of these countries • regions which do not get many visitors • but have extensive cultural heritage and breathtaking nature

• By:• putting together well-known name with positive image, • using the official transport corridor, • using existing resources (our heritage, sites and services), • and marketing it all together as one product,

we create for our regions a beneficial new product!

Past of Via Hanseatica in the Baltic States• 2001 - First ideas for joint development of the region.

– not only about tourism development (also logistics, transport etc.).

• 2004 - Official cooperation with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.• 2007 - Cooperation memorandum between regional partners

of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on VH development.• 2007 - Baltic Parliamentary Assembly appeal on joint

development of Via Hanseatica.

• 2012 - New start (with Russian involvement)!

• 3 years (2012-2014) funding from Estonia – Latvia – Russia

ENPI Cross-border Cooperation Programme supports us in:

– Increasing attractiveness and accessibility of VH objects

– Advancing the knowledge and expertise of service providers (trainings)

– Creation of strong and sustainable network of VH stakeholders with special attention to private sector involvement (trainings)

– Creation of VH products (thematic & territorial packages)

– Promoting VH through various channels

Present development of Via Hanseatica

Network of stakeholders: developers, officials, entrepreneurs

Package development: themes, routes

Training for service providers and guides

Strong network, cooperation structure and strategy for future

Package development and networking

• Introducing Via Hanseatica as one attractive region!

• Modern and easily usable travel planner

• Travel application for mobile devices.

• Promotional video teasers presenting VH and its assets

• Travel guide

• Promoting Via Hanseatica and its services/attractions in international tourism fairs

• Organizing FAM tours for tour operators and agents to your sites

Marketing actions of VH

Supporting physical visibility and investment actions

• VH road signs

• VH object signs

• VH information boards

• VH information terminals

• Small-scale investments to objects

• Preparation of technical documentations (design, construction) for objects with high development potential

Future of Via Hanseatica

VH tourist

THANK YOU!

sille@gravitas.ee

www.viahanseatica.info www.vidzeme.lv